WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted Union Pacific’s request for more time to respond to Amtrak’s request for action regarding UP’s handling of the Sunset Limited, which Amtrak says has the worst on-time performance in its system. In a document filed Monday, Dec. 19, UP notes that the board’s procedures do not specifically […]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern’s Holiday Express raised more than $215,000 to benefit the Salvation Army during its 2022 tour, the railroad has announced. The holiday, train, returning after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, visited 20 communities in eight states and drew almost 48,000 visitors. “I am so pleased that […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority still hasn’t announced when service will begin to Grand Central Madison, its new station beneath Grand Central Terminal that will complete the long-awaited Long Island Rail Road East Side Access project. On Monday, however, the MTA did say how that service will start. Initially, the LIRR will operate […]
WASHINGTON — Improper handling of train air brakes by the engineer of a Canadian Pacific train was the cause of a three-train accident in St. Paul, Minn., in August 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined. The accident report, issued Dec. 8, covers an Aug. 25 incident that saw the CP train strike a […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Adminstration on Monday announced approximately $686 million in grant funding for accessibility upgrades at transit stations across the United States. The grants represent the first round of funding under the new All Station Accessibility Program, or ASAP, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. They will go to 15 projects in […]
Santa Fe Hi-Level step-down coach A passenger ascends the central stairway into the upper level of one of the Santa Fe’s 1956 double-deck Hi-Level coaches. The low window beyond the man standing shows that this is one of the “step-down” cars with an end stairway for access to standard-height cars. Santa Fe photo […]
CHICAGO — With a massive winter snowstorm sweeping into the Midwest from the northern plains this week, Amtrak is canceling some trains out of Chicago to and from Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Pontiac, Mich., on the day the brunt of the blizzard is expected. The same trains also won’t run this Saturday and Sunday, when […]
RALEIGH, N.C. — R.J. Corman has launched operation today (Monday, Dec. 19) of the Raleigh & Fayetteville Railroad, a 63-mile route between its two namesake cities in North Carolina. The railroad’s first train, led by GP38-2 No. 7710, is shown heading south from Raleigh to Fuquay-Varina, N.C. R.J. Corman announced in November it was […]
Walthers gas station details Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $19.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers gas station details features: Includes two styles of small gas pump islands (with or without safety bollards), oil can display racks, air compressor, tires & display stands, soda vending machine, and ice […]
Weathering with an airbrush: If you’re looking to give your freight cars and locomotives a general coat of grime in relatively little time, try using an airbrush and thinned acrylic paints. My first step on this Athearn HO scale 54-foot covered hopper kit was to spray the entire car with thinned Polly Scale Reefer White […]
Drive-in oil change in HO scale from Walthers Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $44.98 Era: 1980s+ Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218, 414-527-0770, walthers.com Walthers drive-in oil change station features: Two drive-through service bays Inspection pit openings in garage floor Detailed office area Includes separate soda machine, air-conditioning unit, and gas […]
Upgrading locomotives Upgrading locomotives: If you haven’t already noticed, a motive power renaissance is occurring at short lines and regionals across the country. Smaller railroads are always getting power that’s newer or better than what they currently have. However, recently this change is more pronounced. It’s driven by a top-down push, starting with the Class […]
